Now, lets have a think. Although it isn't something that regularly crosses your mind, have a think about the abuse that your bag goes through when travelling. You stuff it (probably beyond it's capacity) and zip it up as tight as it will go with over 20kg of luggage crammed inside; you then drag it into the back of the car, around the airport, onto conveyor belts, into the hands of baggage handlers who, lets be honest, won't be thinking about your expensive laptop or climbing helmet nestled inside; onto planes, trains and cars, then repeat the process again at your destination. If you've ever arrived with the contents of your bag broken or damaged in any way, consider this duffel.
Building on the issues which many duffels face, Arc'teryx examined the flaws and weakspots of regular duffels and began there. You'll notice straight away that the V80 features an external frame - this frame is constructed from a lightweight yet durable aluminium with a hard-anodised coating to take serious abuse. Although simple, it's an ingenious addition which prevents your bag from compression, knocks and overall damage during transit. Not only this, but it doubles up to provide an infinite amount of grab handles and lash points for attaching more gear. Underneath the tough exterior is an equally tough fabric to store your kit. Arc'teryx use a super tough and abrasion resistant 630d high tenacity nylon for the main body and 690d reinforcements in high wear areas. All fabrics are then coated with a durable water repellent outer and seam taped to add an exceptional level of weather resistance. On top of this, all fabrics on Arc'teryx's V range of luggage can be replaced when eventually worn out. Added padding on the lower of the bag protects further against knocks and impacts.
Another issue with large capacity luggage is weight. You have a 25kg limit and 25kg of gear, great! However if 5kg of that is taken up by your bag, then 5kg of gear has to be left behind. Weighing just 32g per litre, the V80 is on average 740g lighter than comparable luggage systems, around the same weight as 9 cam devices. (9x cam's = 753g).
No one wants to carry 30kg of climbing equipment or travel gear on their back. Large 115mm diameter wheels featured on the V80 easily handle curbs, ice, gravel and cobblestones. The rim of the wheel is made from glass reinforced (yes, glass) nylon and treated with a TPU coating for further durability. Dual enclosed bearing systems deliver a smooth, frictionless experience and reduces the liklihood of water ingress over time.
Pockets wise, you get one external pocket for a boarding pass or other small items, an ID pocket and one huge internal space for gear. Inside this cavernous main space is a an internal compression panel with a magazine sized organiser pocket. Not only does this stop your kit rolling about if not fully packed, but further organises your kit for easy access when you arrive. The main section can also be locked and features watertight zippers to provide further security and weather resistance.
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Only 32g per litre
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Ultra-tough outer fabrics
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Highly water resistant
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Replaceable fabrics
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Tough aluminium external frame
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Organiser pockets and boarding pass pocket
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Compression panel
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Infinite grab handles
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Gear can be lashed to the outer
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Large, sealed wheels